fisher



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

J. W. FISHER.

OAR BRAKE.

N0. 4'77,1'7Z.- Patented une 14, 1892.

WITNESSES A TTOHNEYS (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. W. FISHER.

GAR BRAKE w ma Pz tented June 14, 1892. 7

STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JAMES IV. FISHER, OF PALOUSE, IVASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, FRANKMOLAM, EARNEST JONES, IVINFIELD JONES, AND EDMAN DOERING, OF

SAME PLACE.

CAR-BRAK E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,172, dated June 14,1892.

Application filed November 21,1891. Serial No. 412,607- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES W. FISHER, of Palouse, in the county of\Vhitman and State of Vashington, have invented a new and ImprovedCar-Brake, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved car-brakewhich is simple and durable in construction, very eifective inoperation, and arranged to brake the rails instead of the car-wheels, toprevent undue operating of the latter, and to quickly stop the trainwhen the brakes are applied.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations ofthe same, as will be hereinafter fully described, and then pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement as applied.Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. is an enlarged sectional sideelevation of the brake-shoes on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4. Fig. at is atransverse section of the same on the line at a in Fig. Fig. 5 is asectional side elevation of the mechanism for applying the brakes byhand, and Fig. 6 is a sectional plan View of the same on the line 6 6 ofFig. 5.

The car A, of the usual construction, is provided with the wheels B,traveling on the rails C, adapted to be engaged between the wheels ofthe front and rear truck by sets of brakeshoes D, each set beingcomposed of two shoes arranged opposite each other and adapted to engagethe two rails.

Each set of brake-shoes D is pivotally connected on top with an arm E,extending from a shaft E, mounted to turn in suitable bearings securedto the under side of the car A. In the middle of the shaft E is securedan arm E extending inwardly toward the middle of the car and connectedwith one end of a chain F, passing upward and over a pulley G, and thenconnecting with an arm H on a shaft I, extending transversely andmounted to turn in suitable bearings on the under side of the car A andat or near the middle of the same, as plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.The arms 11, connected with the two sets of brakeshoes, are arrangedopposite each other on the shaft I, so that when the latter is turned inthe direction of the arrow a a pull is exerted on both chains F, so thatthe arms E swing upward and the arms E downward. The downward motion ofthe latter presses the brake-shoes D in contact with the rails C, so asto brake the ear.

Each of the brake-shoes is preferably provided at its inner side with aflange D, adapted to engage the inner side of the head of the rail, thusholding the brake-shoe in proper position on the rail when applied.

Each of the arms E is pressed on by a spring E held on the under side ofthe car A and serving to release the brake mechanism when the shaft I isturned in an inverse direction of the arrow a and the chains F areslack. The pressure of the springs E causes the arms E to swingdownward, so that the shaft E is turned and the arms E swing upward,thus lifting the brake-shoes D off the rails. The shaft I can either beturned by power or by hand, the shaft being provided for the formerpurpose with an arm J, pivotally connected by a link K with thepistonrod L of the brake-cylinder N, forming part of a fluid-pressureair-brake system of any approved construction. \Vhen the piston L ispushed outward at the time the engineer desires to apply the brakes,then the link K presses on the arm J and turns the shaft I in adirection the reverse of the arrow (1., so that the brake-shoes D areapplied in the manner above described.

For applying the brake-shoes D on the rails C by hand the shaft I isprovided with an arm 0, extending upwardly and connected with one end ofachain P, passing along under the ear to one end thereof to finally passover a pulley P, and then upward along the end of the car to the top ofthe latter to connect there with one end of a lever Q, fulcrumed IOOlars S and 8*, so as to move the said link up or down when the staff ismoved in a like direction. On the upper end of the staff is secured theusual hand-wheel S and the lower end is formed with a screw-thread S,screwing in a nut T, attached to the top of the car.

On the staff S is secured a ratchet-wheel U, engaged by a pawl V,pivoted on an arm V', mounted to slide on a pin T, arranged verticallyand attached to the base of the nut T. The arm V is formed with a forkengaging the staff S below the collar S and on top of the ratchet-wheelU, so that the arm V moves up and down with the staff S when the latteris turned and screws up or down in the nut T. When the staff S movesdownward, the lever Q is caused to swing so that its front end,

connected with the chain P, swings upward and a pull is exerted on thesaid chain. This pull on the chain causes a swinging of the shaft I inthe direction of the arrow a, so that the brake-shoes I) are applied onthe rails O in the manner above fully described. When the shaft S isturned in an opposite direction, the lever Q swings downward with itsfront end and the chain P becomes slack. The springs R then return thebrake-shoesD into their normal positionthatis, off or above the rails O.The arm E shaft E, and the arms E, carrying the set of brake-shoes, forma lever carrying at one end a brake-shoe and connected at its other endwith the chain F.

When the brakes are applied by hand, as above described, and theoperator releases the staff-wheel S then the spring-pressed pawl V,engaging the ratchet-wheel U, locks the staff S in place, so that thebrakes remain applied without assistance by the operator. WVhen theoperator desires to release the brakes, he first presses the pawl V torelease the latter from the ratchet-wheel U. The staff S can then beturned in an opposite direction to swing the front end of the lever Qdownward to slacken the chain P, as above described.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Pateut 1. In a car-brake, the combination, withbrake-shoes adapted to engage the rails, of arms pivotally connectedwith the said brakeshoes, a shaft carrying the said arms, an armprojecting from the said shaft, a chain connected with the free end ofthe last-men tioued arm, a second shaft provided with an arm connectedwith the said chain, and means for turning the said shaft by hand orpower, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a car-brake, the combination, with brake-shoes adapted to engagethe rails, of arms pivotally connected with the said brakeshoes, a shaftcarrying the said arms, an arm projecting from the said shaft, a chainconnected with the free end of the last-mentioned arm, a second shaftprovided with an arm connected with the said chain, means for turningthe said shaft by hand or power, and a spring pressing on the chain-armof the firstmentioned shaft, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a car-brake, the combination, with a lever for applying thebrake-shoes and carry- 7 ing a link pivoted thereto, of a staff providedwith collars engaging the said link, and means, substantially asdescribed, for raising and lowering the said staff, substantially asshown and described.

t. In a car-brake, the combination, with a lever for applying thebrake-shoes and carrying a link pivoted thereto, of a staff providedwith collars engaging the said link,means,substantially as described,for raising and lowering the said staff, and a ratchet-wheel and ratchetfor locking the said staff in place to prevent its turning when thebrake-shoes are applied, substantially as shown and described.

JAMES WV. FISHER.

lVitnesses:

J. WV. PICKRELL, M. A. Was.

